Foot rest



M. MENUTO June 21, 1966 FOOT REST Filed Feb. 8, 1965 INVENTOR. M u m;Man u'ro CALQC'M United States Patent Vania Filed Feb. 8, 1965, Ser. No.430,976 Claims. (Cl. 297433) This invention relates to invalid chairsand, more particularly, to foot supports for invalid chairs.

The present invention provides an improvement over previous footsupports for wheel chairs in that an integral flange at the side of thefoot support provides a protective edge for keeping the foot of thepatient from sliding off of the foot support and, at the same time, thefoot support is mounted on the foot support holder so that it does notneed any screws or other fasteners to hold it in place. An extension onthe flange at the back of the foot support provides an integral stop tokeep the foot support in position without screws or any other fabricatedpart. The foot support has ribs which are formed in such a way that apart of the foot support can be removed to form a smaller size footsupport. The tubing which is bent in an L-shape forms the support forthe foot support and needs no fabrication.

It is, accordingly, an object of the present invention to provide animproved foot support.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved footsupport in combination with a chair.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an integral footsupport which requires no fabrications and no separate screw fastenersto hold it in place.

A further object of the invention is to provide a foot support which issimple in construction, economical to manufacture, and simple andefficient to use.

With the above and other objects in view, the present invention consistsof the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fullydescribed, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and more particularlypointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes maybe made in the form, size, proportions, and minor details ofconstruction without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of theadvantages of the invention.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a foot support on according to theinvention;

FIG. 2 is a top view of the foot support;

FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the foot support; and

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view of the foot support taken on line 44 ofFIG. 2.

The foot supporting member 12 shown according to the invention is madeup of a tubular member round in cross section which has two leg members,a horizontal leg 11 and a vertical leg 10, which are arranged atslightly less than ninety degrees to each other so that when the footsupporting member 12 is in the operative position, it will tend to slideaway from the end of the horizontal leg 11 and toward the chair and,therefore, does not require a nut on the end of the horizontal leg 11 toprevent the foot supporting member from sliding off.

The foot supporting member 12 is generally plate like with lateral ribs13 and a horizontal rib 15 on the bottom. The longitudinal rib 15 isspaced from and parallel to a chair flange 16. Thus, if a childs footrest is desired, the foot surface 14 which terminates at the outside endin the upwardly extending flange 18. The upwardly extending flange 18extends toward the chair at end 21 beyond the end of the foot rest andend 21 abuts against, the vertical leg 10 of the tubular member when thefoot rest is folded down in operative position.

Spaced boss portions 17 and 23 are providedwith a bore 19 which receivesthe horizontal leg 11. Thus, the foot supporting member may rotate onthe leg 11 which forms a snug fit inside the bore 19. The boss portions17 and 23 are spaced from each other and a recess 20 is provided betweenthe boss portions and in this recess is received a flat spring 24. Theflat spring 24 is bent into arcuate shape with two legs and anintermediate portion. The-legs bear frictionally against the horizontalleg 11 of the support and the intermediate portion bears against thebottom of the recess 20. Thus, the flat spring 24 makes frictionalengagement with the outer periphery of the horizontal leg 11 of thesupport. A gusset 22 is integrally attached to the lateral ribs 13 atthe edge and, also, to the boss portions 17 and 23. This makes the footrest extremely rigid.

In operation, the foot rest may be swung up and laterally into a planegenerally parallel with the vertical leg 10 out of working position andcan also be swung down and inwardly into operative position whenthe'flat top surface 14 is generally horizontal. The end 21 of theupwardly extending flange 18 will engage the back side of the verticalleg 10 and form a rigid stop, holding the foot rest rigidly in position.

The foregoing specification sets forth the invention in its preferredpractical forms but the structure shown is capable of modificationwithin a range of equivalents without departing from the invention whichis to be understood is broadly novel as is commensurate with theappended claims. a

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property orprivilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. In combination, an invalid chair and a foot support comprising agenerally L-shaped arm round in cross section on said chair having agenerally horizontal leg and a vertical a,

said foot support having a plate like member having a boss integrallyattached to its lower rear edge,

a flange integrally attached to the rear edge of said boss and to therear edge of said foot support and extending upwardly therefrom,

a bore through said boss,

said generally horizontal leg of said L-shaped arm extending into saidbore in said boss,

said flange having an end portion extending from the rear edge of saidfoot support,

said end portion of said flange engaging the side of said L-shaped armwhen the top surface of said plate like member is in operative position,limiting the swinging movement of said foot support.

2. The combination recited in claim 1 wherein said boss has two spacedboss portions,

a recess between said spaced boss portions,

and a generally flat spring bent into arcuate shape in said recess,

said arcuate spring terminating in end members engaging said L-shapedarm and the intermediate portion of said spring engaging said foot rest,exerting a frictional force thereon,

said foot rest being held on said L-shaped arm.

3. The combination recited in claim 1 wherein said plate like member hasa generally flat top,

said top being inclined slightly toward said L-shaped arm when saidflange engages said L-shaped arm and said top is in operative position.

4. The combination recited in claim 1 wherein said horizontal andvertical legs of said L-shaped arm are disposed at an angle of slightlyless than ninety degrees to each other, whereby said foot support isurged by gravity to slide toward said vertical leg.

5. The combination recited in claim 4 wherein said foot support hasspaced, laterally extending ribs on the bottom thereof,

said foot support being adapted to be broken off along one said ribwhereby a smaller size foot support is provided.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Gallagher 188-241Rideout 297-44 Everest et a1. 297433 Cosper 297-433 Wesman 248345.1

O FRANK B. SHERRY, Primary Examiner.

